By Tom McKeown

The Reds are set to fall short of securing European football for next season, so the manager wants to recruit quickly in the transfer market to give the squad time to settle

Brendan Rodgers believes acting early in the transfer market will aid Liverpool's push to get back into the Premier League top four next season.

The Reds lie seventh in the table with their hopes of European football next term all but extinguished as fifth-placed Tottenham, who occupy the solitary Europa League place, sit eight points ahead with just three games left to play.

Rodgers brought Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho to Anfield early in January, with both impressive since, and the manager has eyed similar swift signings to give the new additions time to settle.

"The club respect where we need to strengthen and where we need to improve," he told Sky Sports. "We have seen from the last window in January, we got our business done early and brought in two outstanding players in Sturridge and Coutinho.

"Hopefully we will have a similar impact in the summer. If we can do that, it will make me really happy with the group going forward."

While Rodgers revealed he has been very happy with the way his players have performed this season, he did admit to a need for more strength in depth if they are to march up the table.

"I just think we need a bit more depth and a bit more quality," added. "The players this year have done very well. I have asked everything of them and, in the main, they have done very well.

"The majority of the time, there have not been too many performances where I have been really disappointed."

Liverpool have been linked with Ajax forward Christian Eriksen and Reading defender Alex Pearce, who Rodgers worked with during his spell at the Madejski Stadium.